The earth and environmental sciences examine the processes that affect the earth’s surface and its interior, the history of these processes, and the materials that they produce. They view the earth as a dynamic body, with continual interchanges of materials and energy among the planet’s interior and exterior, atmosphere, oceans, and life. Understanding of these processes is essential for evaluating the global environment, its natural variability and history, and its interactions with human activities.

A degree in earth and environmental sciences may lead to employment in industry, in the public sector, or in education. Many earth scientists establish careers in areas that are environmentally related, which may include the prevention, control, and remediation of pollutants from water and soil. Others work at predicting and preventing problems associated with natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and volcanic eruptions. Employment possibilities also exist in the exploration, utilization, and management of resources such as oil, coal, metals, or water.

BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students need to complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Degree Requirements

Hours

Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

28–30

Core Courses

20

Selective Courses

19

General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours

51–53

Minimum Total Hours—BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences— Earth Sciences Concentration

120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements. Students should consult the course lists below and their advisors to determine which courses are counted toward the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements.

Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

Courses

Hours

One of the following options in general physics:

4–5

PHYS 105—Introductory Physics I: Lecture
(4)ab

PHYS 106—Introductory Physics I: Laboratory
(1)ab

OR

PHYS 141—General Physics I (Mechanics) (4)a

CHEM 112—General College Chemistry Ia

5

MATH 180—Calculus Iac

5

MATH 181—Calculus IIa

5

One of the following courses:

5

CHEM 114—General College Chemistry II (5)a

CHEM 130—Survey of Organic and Biochemistry (5)a

One of the following options in general physics or biology:

4–5

PHYS 107—Introductory Physics II: Lecture
(4)ab

PHYS 108—Introductory Physics II: Laboratory (1)ab

OR

PHYS 142—General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) (4)a

OR

BIOS 100—Biology of Cells and Organisms (5)a

OR

BIOS 101—Biology of Populations and Communities (5)a

Total Hours—Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

28–30

a This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.b Each of the following pairs will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: PHYS 105/PHYS 106 and PHYS 107/PHYS 108.c MATH 180 fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.

Core Courses

Courses

Hours

EAES 101—Global Environmental Changea

4

EAES 111—Earth, Energy, and the Environmenta

4

EAES 200—Field Work in Missouria

2

EAES 230—Earth Materials

4

EAES 285—Earth Systems

4

EAES 290—Current Topics in Earth and Environmental Sciencesb

2

Total Hours—Core Requirements

20

a This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.

b EAES 290 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.

Selective Courses

Students must select at least nineteen hours with at least one course from each of the following groups. In order to reach the nineteen hours, one course can be chosen, with permission of the director of undergraduate studies, from an approved list of courses in environmental studies offered in other departments; these courses must be at the 200-level or above.

Courses

Hours

Group I: Solid Earth Materials

3–10

EAES 320—Mineralogy (4)

EAES 422—Crystal Chemistry (3)

EAES 430—Petrology (3)

Group II: Surface Environments and Processes

3–10

EAES 350—Sedimentary Environments (3)

EAES 470—Environmental Geomorphology (4)

EAES 473—Soils and the Environment (4)

EAES 475—Hydrology/Hydrogeology (3)

Group III: Geochemistry and Geobiology

3–10

EAES 360—Introduction to Paleontology (4)

EAES 415—Environmental Geochemistry (4)

EAES 416—Organic Geochemistry (3)

EAES 418—Introduction to Biogeochemistry (3)

EAES 460—Earth System History (4)

EAES 466—Principles of Paleontology (3)

Group IV: Geophysical and Mathematical Methods

3–10

EAES 440—Structural Geology and Tectonics (3)

EAES 444—Geophysics (3)

EAES 448—Plate Tectonics (3)

EAES 480—Statistical Methods in EAES (3)

EAES 484—Planetary Science (3)

Approved summer course in geological or environmental field methods (4–6)

Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Earth and Environmental Sciences must take 18 semester hours, chosen with the approval of the department. A maximum of 10 hours may be at the 100-level. EAES 200—Field Work in Missouri is required. Students must take at least 9 hours at the 200-level or above.

Distinction

To be recommended for graduation with Departmental Distinction, a student must have a GPA in mathematics and science courses of 3.20/4.00 or better, 3.50/4.00 or better for High Distinction, and 3.70/4.00 or better for Highest Distinction as well as superior performance in EAES 396—Independent Research.